Motorway speed limits 'obeyed by LGV drivers'

Very few LGV drivers exceed their speed limit of 60 miles per hour on the motorway, new figures from the Department for Transport show.

In the ten years from 1998, the percentage of LGVs which exceeded the 30mph speed limit on built-up roads also reduced.

However, over 85 per cent of such vehicles exceeded the 50mph speed limit on dual carriageways classed as non-built-up roads.

The statistics also revealed that over 75 per cent of LGV drivers broke the 40mph limit on single carriageways classed as non-built-up roads.

It was also stated that last year, over half of motorcyclists travelled faster than the 30mph speed limit in built-up areas.

Steve Palmer, from Aviva Risk Management Solutions, said: "Most modern LGV's are mechanically limited to a top speed of between 56 to 60 mph, depending upon gross vehicle weight and vehicle age."

He said that this could account for the good record of compliance on motorways.

However, fleet managers "must ensure" that their drivers comply with all speed limits, "not only for legal and moral reasons but also from a fuel efficiency point of view".